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2 Enoch
2 Enoch, the Second Book of Enoch, also known as the Book of the Secrets of Enoch, or Slavonic Enoch, is apocrypha from the late 1st century CE. Authorship is traditionally attributed to Enoch, however modern scholars view it as pseudepigrapha. The text has been preserved, in full, only in Slavonic. However, in 2009 it was announced that Coptic fragments of the book have been identified. Greek is indicated as the language behind the Slavonic version. It is not regarded as scripture by Jews or any Christian group. It was rediscovered and published at the end of 19th century. Content A growing number of scholars recognize the antiquity of 2 Enoch, including also the portion: Exaltation of Melchizedek (2EM) and support a pre-70 CE dating for its original composition.C.A. Giescher The different functions of a similar Melchizedek Tradition in 2 Enoch and the Epistle to the Hebrews in ed. Craig A. Evans, James A. Sanders Early Christian Interpretation of the Scriptures of Israel: Investigations and Proposals ISBN 1-85075-679-1 (1997) p.366 Sacchi suggests that 2EM is actually an addition to the main body of the text as the style is slightly different. It is also a very early addition by someone of the same sect who wrote 2 Enoch, because it uses the same language and same typical names as Ahuzan for Temple. This dates the composition of 2EM between 70 CE and the Letter to the Hebrews. In the Letter to the Hebrews, Melchisedek is primarily a heavenly figure, whereas 2EM depicts him as an earthly one.Martha Himmelfarb Ascent to Heaven in Jewish and Christian Apocalypses ISBN 0-19-508203-6 (1993), p. 41 The Second Book of Enoch can be divided in four sections: Ascension to heaven In the first section (chapters 1-21) Enoch, when already at the age of 365, is taken by two angels and made to pass through the seven heavens, one by one. The first heaven is found to be the place where the angels control atmospheric phenomena. In the second heaven he finds the prison for the rebel angels. In the third heaven he finds both paradise (as in 2 Cor 12:2) and hell for the men. The fourth heaven is the place of movements of the sun and of the moon which are described in detail. In the fifth heaven Enoch finds some Grigori that are grieved and he persuades them to resume their liturgical service. In the sixth heaven he finds the angels in charge of governing the cosmos and peoples. Secrets of creation In the second section (chapters 22-37) Enoch, now guided by Gabriel, is allowed to enter in the seventh heaven where he sees the Lord face to face. Afterwards he is anointed by Michael and becomes similar in appearance to the angels. The Lord asks the angel Vereviel to dictate to Enoch 360 books containing all that is knowable. Later, the Lord himself tells to Enoch the secrets of the creation up to the flood, which are unknown even to the angels. Enoch is finally sent back on the earth for thirty days. Instructions to human family The third section (chapters 38-68) is a list of doctrinal and ethical instructions given by Enoch to his sons: the main moral principle is the love for all the living beings (similar to the ethics found in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs), particularly noticeable is the lack of interest for the sin of fornication and not once is the Law of Moses referred to; Enoch teaches the uselessness of intercessions. At the end of the thirty days Enoch is taken into the heaven forever. Exaltation of Melchizedek The last section (Chapters 69-73), sometimes referred to as the Exaltation of Melchizedek outlines the priestly succession of Enoch. Enoch's son, Methuselah is asked by the people to act as priest but this solution is seen as temporary. Also temporary is the priesthood of Nir, grandson of Methuselah. Afterwards is narrated the miraculous birth of Melchizedek and his new priesthood (see Melchizedek in the Second Book of Enoch for a short summary). In manuscript B and in the long versions this section ends with a short narrative of the Deluge. There is no unanimous consensus whether this section belongs to the main body of the text or it is an early addition. Considering the not-fragmentary main manuscripts, 2EM is not included in P V N, it is included partially in J, while it is fully included in R U B, which anyway represent the best traditions of all versions. So we have both shorter and a longer versions of 2EM. Some early authors, as Charles, have not included this section mainly because they based their edition on manuscripts P and N. It has been reasoned that recent manuscripts exclude this section because of the scandalous content for Christian copyists: the virgin birth of Melchisedek. According to Vaillant, who edited the first critical edition of 2 Enoch, there is no evidence that 2EM ever existed separately. Modern editions usually include also these chapters. The recent discoveries of Melchisedek 11Q13 text at Qumran and of a related text at Nag Hammadi, have made possible to have an idea about the Melchisedek controversy, involving also 2EM and the Letter to the Hebrews, that developed in non-mainstream Jewish communities and in early Christian communities from the 1st century BCE to the 3rd century CE against the traditional Jewish identification of Melchisedek with Shem.A. Orlov Journal for the Study of Judaism 31 (2000) 23-38 See also *Books of Enoch References